Hey Hollie

{2}

I stared blankly at Hollies side of our house. We'd only been living together for around 6 months, so there wasn't much stuff unpacked. Sure it made it easier to pack up, but it made me realize how short Hollie's life was cut. I tap my feet on the tiles as I hold my necklace. Hollies funeral would be tomorrow, and mother and father told me to find her favorite possessions to bury with her.

The only things I could think of that Hollie loved were her moon necklace, rabbit plush, camera, and her violin. I remember the day I painted her violin for her.

{FLASHBACK}
"Hey Hollie!" I said, looking up from my textbook. "Hello there Mollie. My violin seems kind of plain, can you paint it for me?" Hollie asked, holding her violin out towards me. I crunched my eyebrows. "Paint it? But Hollie, I could ruin it! I don't want to ruin your violin! You spent thousands of dollars on it!" I exclaimed. "I know how good of an artist you are Mollie. You won't mess it up. Just paint whatever your heart desires on it, please?" Hollie asked.

I hesitated for a moment, then took the violin out of her hands. "Whatever my heart desires?" I asked. "Whatever your heart desires." Hollie firmly said. I thought about it for a moment, then I went over to my desk. "Thanks!" Hollie said. I nodded and got out my paints. I dipped the soft bristles of my brush into the paint, and let my hand takeover.

Around an hour later, I finished. I took a deep breath in, then let it out and stepped towards Hollie. I held her violin out towards her. Her face lighted up with excitement and a grin creeped across her lips. "It's beautiful! How did you learn how to paint The Starry Night like that?" Hollie asked. I shrugged and told her "I know it's your favorite painting, so I tried my best to recreate it." I said.

{END OF FLASHBACK}
I walked up the creaky wooden stairs towards Hollies room. I stepped in and instantly smelt raspberries, just like the way Hollie used to smell. I walk over to her "Music Corner" where she kept her violin and piano. As always, her violin was firmly placed on top of the piano, along with her bow. I gently picked them up, put them in my box, and set the box on top of the piano.

Then, I stepped over to her bright yellow bed, and picked up the covers. There, sat smack dab in the middle of the bed, was her stuffed plush rabbit, Eleanor. Even though Hollie was 23, she still slept with a plush, just like me. That's just one of many ways we are alike. Hollie always told me that I was the only one in the world that knew why she slept with Eleanor. A tear creeped down my cheek as I thought about how much she cared about me. Our first ever gifts to each other were stuffed animals, mine a rabbit for her, and hers a dolphin for me. From then on, neither of us could ever sleep without them. That's why I'm burying Eleanor with Hollie, because her soul will probably never rest without her.

Then I place him in the box and search Hollies room for her camera. I first looked in her drawer of secrets, where she kept her idea book and random notes, and then in her secret treasure box. Hollie never knew that I knew about her treasure box, and I truly felt bad about opening it, but if Hollie wanted to be buried with her camera, it had to be done.

At the bottom of the box, I found a photo. I slowly pushed everything off from on top of it and pulled it out. I felt tears stream down my cheek as I scanned the photo. It was of Hollie and I on our sweet sixteen, smearing cake all over each other's faces. We always used to took back on that day, and laugh. But this was no laughing matter anymore. Figuring Hollie would want to be buried with a good memory, I stuck it in the box and kept looking for her camera.

After hours of searching, I didn't find her camera. But I didn't give up. I searched high and low of every room in the house, looking for her camera, except for my own. I finally decided it was worth a shot, and went to my room. And sure enough, there it was, on my dresser. But that was not the only thing there. There was a note next to it, written in Hollies neat handwriting.

Dear Mollie,

I thought this would be a great surprise for you, so if you turn to the thirteenth picture, you will see a great surprise!

Lots of love,

Hollie

I picked up the camera and flipped back all the way to the thirteenth picture. I didn't know whether to gasp, cry, or laugh. There, on the screen of the camera, was the most beautiful picture I've ever seen, and ever hope to see. It was a picture of the two of us, back to the camera, at the Gwenivere Carnival, in front of the tilt-a-whirl. I remember that moment like it was yesterday. I turn off the camera, while on that picture, and set it in the box, hoping Hollie would like that picture to be buried with her, and put the box on my dresser.

And for the rest of the day, I was finally happy.